National Forest trails free to hike Saturday

National Trails Day is tomorrow, with a bunch of events planned around the nation. At national forests and Bureau of Land Management units in the Pacific Northwest, officials are marking the day by not enforcing rules requiring a trail pass to be posted on cars left at trailheads.

Of course, there are those who think the system of having to buy a Northwest Forest Pass to use national forests was a bad idea in the first place, since the public, by definition, already owns those lands. The Forest Service loves getting the money because it has been cash-starved since timber sales were cut way back to preserve the forests. According to Wild Wilderness, a hearing on the issue is scheduled June 18th by the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.